Supply line reservoir

ABSTRACT

The supplemental provision of free line lengths and simultaneously also a clean cable nm of these free line lengths is to be ensured by a supply line reservoir in an equipment housing for junction lines of equipment to be installed in and removed from a housing. This is achieved in that a line strand ( 4 ) is secured in the housing ( 2 ) such that the equipment ( 3 ) to be removed can be extracted while retaining the line connection.

The invention relates to a supply line reservoir in an appliance housing, for the connecting lines of insertable and removable appliances which are accommodated in a housing.

In the construction of installations, it is necessary to provide a large number of appliances in the individual parts of the installation with supply lines. These may be electrical lines, but may also be hydraulic lines, air-pressure feeds, data lines and any other kinds of connection or supply lines which are needed for operating the appliance in the installation. Furthermore, it is necessary to occasionally insert and remove appliances of this kind, for example for servicing purposes or in order to replace a defective appliance. Under these circumstances, the appliances in question are often arranged in fairly inaccessible locations within the area of the installation, a fact which makes the removal of such appliances complicated. An additional problem in this connection is often the fact that the connecting or supply lines are relatively short in the region of the insertion or removal apertures, so that they have to be attached or detached while still at the location at which the appliance is being operated, before the latter can be taken out and inserted again.

In order to solve this problem, it is known practice to provide spare lengths of line in the region of the appliance and of the insertion aperture. By this means, the appliance can be taken out without having to immediately disconnect the line. In the case of simple servicing operations, these lines can even remain on the appliance under certain circumstances, a fact which can considerably shorten the servicing time. Failing this, however, the supply lines can be detached from the removed appliance, and connected again after the repair, a fact which makes this part of the servicing operations considerably easier.

In practice, however, it has turned out that the provision of spare lengths of line is not normally adhered to when erecting the installation or during operation. In particular, the line is often pulled taut when it is laid, a fact which leads to the spare length of line being non-existent or proving to be too short. Depending upon the way in which the appliance is designed, moreover, it is difficult to guide the spare lines without their becoming twisted and, under certain circumstances, even possibly impairing the operation of the appliance.

The invention has the object of making possible the compulsory provision of spare lengths of line and, at the same time, ensuring a clean cable run of the said spare lengths of line.

The invention achieves this object by means of a line reservoir having the features in patent claim 1.

A surprisingly simple solution to the problems that have been stated is made possible by providing a fixing arrangement for the line strand within the housing, which arrangement is constructed in such a way that the appliance to be removed can be taken out while maintaining the connection of the line. This reliably prevents the lines from being pulled too taut when the appliance is being fitted or the lines are being laid, and the spare length of line from proving to be too short, or the occurrence of other deviations from the desired spare length of line which is needed for taking the appliance out. In addition, cable guidance is achieved which ensures that the lines do not lie slack in the insertion housing of the appliance when the latter is in the inserted position, but extend in a desired, guided manner when in the inserted state, and that it is possible to take the appliance out of the insertion housing easily.

In this way, the servicing of the installations is made considerably easier. The time-consuming and expensive dismantling of the connecting lines while still in the insertion housing or else at the other end of the connecting line can be dispensed with, and simple servicing operations can be carried out without removing the connecting lines.

Refinements of the invention emerge from the subclaims.

It may be advantageous for fixing to take place at the beginning of the insertion space.

This point, for example at the upper end or in the region of the aperture for taking the appliance out, is a favourable place for locating the fixing, a fact which provides a sufficient spare length of line to enable said appliance to be taken out safely.

It is advantageous for fixing to take place by means of a fastening element.

Through the provision of a fastening element of this kind, the lines, or even a number of lines or whole line strands, depending upon the configuration, can be fastened easily and the lines can then be held fast in a secure manner so that, even during the subsequent assembly of the installation as a whole, it is not possible for the spare length of line to be shortened, or for the cables to become twisted together, or the like.

It is advantageous for the fastening element to be constructed as an eyelet.

This has turned out, in practice, to be a practical way of fastening the lines.

It may also be advantageous for fixing to take place by means of a cable-tensioner.

According to a first variant, a cable-tensioner of this kind consists of an element which is capable of receiving one or more turns of cable, as a result of which an increased spare length of line is provided.

According to another variant, a cable-tensioner of this kind consists of an elastic element which keeps one or more turns of cable under tension and thus prevents twisting or the like. The cable-tensioner is upset by a suitable pull on the cable, and thus releases a certain length of line. This can take place, for example, when the appliance is taken out. If the appliance is put back into the housing, the cable-tensioner tensions the cable again and thus ensures torsion-free storage of the entire spare length of line.

For this reason, it may be advantageous for the cable-tensioner to be arranged in the region of the appliance, or else even on the appliance itself.

This has turned out to be a favourable place for locating this variant, since in this way a sufficient quantity of cable is available on the appliance.

It may also be advantageous for hydraulic lines and/or other connection or supply lines to be provided as the connecting lines.

Furthermore, it is possible for motors and/or sensors and/or measuring instruments to be provided as the appliances.

The invention has proved to be particularly useful with these elements, which have been specified by way of examples.

The invention is represented in greater detail with the aid of drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a first configuration of the invention in a cut-away side view and in the inserted state;

FIG. 2 shows the configuration according to FIG. 1 in the removed state; and

FIG. 3. shows a further exemplified embodiment with a cable-tensioner.

A supply line reservoir according to the invention, which is designated generally by 1, is arranged in an appliance housing 2. Located in the latter is an electrical servo-drive 3, whose connecting line 4 is guided via a fastening eyelet 5 in the top region of the interior of the housing and then passes out through the line aperture 6 in the bottom region of said housing, in order to be connected, together with the other pertinent connecting lines, to the control units, of which no further details are represented.

As is represented in FIG. 2, the servo-motor 3 can be taken out of the housing in the upward direction. Through the fact that the connecting line 4 is guided through the eyelet 5 and only then through the cable aperture 6 in the bottom region of the housing, a sufficient spare length of the line 4 is available in the interior of the housing 2 to enable the drive 3 to be taken out of the housing 2 without the connecting line 4 having to be disconnected. This makes the fitting and detachment of the drive 3 considerably easier, since the latter can be disconnected from the line 4, and connected again, in a more easily accessible, detached state.

Naturally, the invention is not limited to the exemplified embodiment described, but can be modified in a variety of respects without departing from the basic concept. Thus, the use of a cable-tensioner or other fastening element in the interior of the housing is also possible, in addition to the simple fastening arrangement by means of an eyelet, as represented. All kinds of appliance components and appliances can also be provided with the invention. It is also possible to use all conceivable kinds of lines, supply lines or other feed lines.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1 Supply line reservoir -   2 Appliance housing -   3 Servo-drive -   4 Connecting line -   5 Fastening bush -   6 Line aperture -   7 Cable-tensioner 

1. A supply line reservoir in an appliance housing for connecting lines for at least one insertable and removable appliances accommodated in the housing, said supply line reservoir comprising: a line strand fixed within the housing in such a way that an appliance to be removed from the housing can be removed from the housing while maintaining the connection of the line.
 2. The supply line reservoir according to claim 1, wherein the line strand is fixed in a region of a removal aperture in the housing.
 3. The supply line reservoir according to claim 1, wherein the line strand is fixed by a fastening element.
 4. The supply line reservoir according to claim 3, wherein the fastening element comprises an eyelet.
 5. The supply line reservoir according to claim 1, wherein the line strand is fixed by a cable-tensioner.
 6. The supply line reservoir according to claim 5, wherein the cable-tensioner is arranged in the region of the appliance.
 7. The supply line reservoir according to claim 1, wherein the line comprises an electrical line.
 8. The supply line reservoir according to claim 1, wherein the appliance comprises a motor.
 9. The supply line reservoir according to claim 2, wherein the line strand is fixed by a fastening element.
 10. The supply line reservoir according to claim 5, wherein the cable-tensioner is arranged on said appliance.
 11. The supply line reservoir according to claim 1, wherein the line comprises a hydraulic line.
 12. The supply line reservoir according to claim 1, wherein the line comprises a supply line.
 13. The supply line reservoir according to claim 1, wherein the appliance comprises a sensor.
 14. The supply line reservoir according to claim 1, wherein the line comprises an air pressure feed.
 15. The supply line reservoir according to claim 1, wherein the line comprises a data line.
 16. An apparatus for storing a supply line for an appliance removably disposed within a housing, said apparatus comprising: a section of supply line disposed within the housing; means for engaging said supply line, said engaging means configured to enable said supply line to maintain a connection with said appliance upon removal of said appliance from said housing.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for engaging comprises a cable-tensioner configured to selectively apply tension to said supply line.
 18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for engaging comprises a fastening element that engages the supply line.
 19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for engaging comprises an eyelet through which the supply line passes. 